Accepting a starring role in an HBO adaption of a beloved epic fantasy series comes with a bit of baggage, and that baggage is called fans. Specifically, a small subset of fans who feel entitled to act like jack-offs, for instance by drunkenly demanding you sing them “Happy Birthday” then criticizing your acting.
Take this anecdote from actress Emilia Clarke, who plays exiled dragon-rearing warrior-queen Daenerys Targaryen, from a recent Wall Street Journal profile:
“It was his birthday, and he was drunk,” the 26-year-old actress says. “And he said, ‘Please, Mother of Dragons, sing me “Happy Birthday.” ‘ ” After Clarke obliged, the tipsy stranger offered an impromptu critique of her Thrones work: ‘You’re doing it all wrong, you know? You’re f—kin’ it up,’ ” Clarke recounts, mimicking the carouser’s gruff-bloke tone, before breaking out in a laugh.
Wow. It’s very rude and grossly entitled to accost any stranger and demand a rendition of “Happy Birthday,” for starters. But to then, instead of saying thank you, complain about her performance? Congratulations, sir, you are an asshole! Clarke isn’t my favorite actor on the show but good grief, dude. Sounds like she brushed it off, though:
“I kind of wanted to pursue him and ask for notes: ‘What exactly did you mean?’ ” she says. “But the reality of taking a book and turning it into a television series is that you’re dealing with people’s imaginations. It’s impossible to please everyone.”
Ah, the confidence that comes of playing a woman who can simply flambé her enemies and doubters!
Photo via AP Images